The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-13
Mr.. Davis on the Flag Question.

The bloody shirters made haste to
forge a letter with Mr. Davis's name
attached, on the flag business. As the
public is always gratified to have his
opinion upon all questions, our readers
will be glad to know what he really
thinks of the matter. The Sun of Balti-
more has published letter from him as
follows:
eff the object now be to unite the
people of the North and South as
brethren in the union as means to
that end, every sign of past conflict
should, as far as practicable, be ooliter-
ated. To retain as point OF PRIDE
flag captured in battle by Union or
Confederate soldiers would be equivalent
to renewed exultation of triumph by
the one or the other, and surely not
step toward the restoration OF peace.
Flags captured from foreign enemy
NAV be retained as trophies after peace,
but here a cessation of hostilities Is not
pretended TO be the equivalent of frater-
nization. | have heard of various III
stances in which Southern soldiers hav-
ing retained flags captured in battle
did, after the war, send them back to
J the organization from which they were
captured, and l have heard of no In
stance when such trophy has been dis
played at a reunion of Southern soldiers
| to manifest their success in battle over
| their Northern brethren. Our men
fought for a principle, and that they
have not surrendered, but rather hope
| Iessly lived to see the good sense of the
Northern men revert to the teaching:
of their sires and re-establish the gov
eminent according to the constitution
on which it was founded. That is the
/ only victory which would be to then
and children a thing to be priced ano
glorifed. When the Confederate Gov
eminent evacuated Richmond, many
flags captured in battle were deposited
in the war Office in Richmond.
So far as | know, they were all lef
there and found by the United State
troops when they entered the city
This would at least exhibit proof of tn,
fact that the South did not wish Il
treasure up such evidence of an,
triumphs it ever had over the North
When Washington received the surren
der of CORVALLIS at Yorktown he re
quired the British coIors to be delivered
to him liz cases. The United State
Government presented those flags t,
Gen. Washington, and ne lett them t.
George Washington Parke Custis, b,
whom they were intrusted to me whel
was Secretary of War, and left in tn,
War office at Washington. Though
these were foreign flags and signs of ;
very memorable occasion, the thel
United States government did not deem
them of sufficient importance to b,
exhibited as trophies of a victory over
foreign enemy, but presen ted them tt
the soldier to whom they had surren
dered. The South has manifested NJ
desire to have possession of the flag
lost in battle; their value departed
when surrendered, and the excitemen
which has been created over the propo
sition to return both to the North anC
the South the flags they had lost il
battle, seems very like tempest in
/, teapot. Whether they should lie ant
J be consumed by moth in boxes of tn
: United States War Office, or be returned
to their former owners, has one elemen
of value, which is that the restoration
would be a declaration such as ole
Romans made that there should be n,
triumph for victory won in civil war
So far as it should express the feeling
! of restored fraternity, it would be al
, advance toward that condition which
all reasonable men will recognize a
/ desirable among those who are to hv
: together.